Shortcut generator for services accessible via a messaging service system

Abstract

A method and equipment by which a mobile station ( 10 ) is able to request a service of a content provider ( 23 ) via a message center ( 22 ) (or other server of a communication network) without having to key in an identifier for the service (among other things). The invention includes a shortcut generator ( 24 a ) for providing a user interface application ( 10 c ) created or configured—via a configuration file ( 10 d )—to correspond to services selected by a user from a list of services. The user interface application ( 10 d ), possibly in combination with the configuration file ( 10 d ), provides respective executable shortcuts to the services selected by the user from the list of services. The shortcut are downloaded or other transferred to the mobile station ( 10 ), and used in requesting, from time to time, the corresponding services.

1 . A method for providing a shortcut access to services available via a communication network by a user using a communication device, the method comprising the steps of: 
 displaying a list of one or more selectable services offered by a content provider, wherein said services are accessible by a user of the communication network; and    creating an executable shortcut to a service selected by the user from the list of selectable services, for enabling the user to access the selected service.    
   
   
       2 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the shortcut creates a message requesting the selected service, and the message is formed according to a protocol used by a message center of the communication network.  
   
   
       3 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein in providing a shortcut, executable code for a user interface application is created.  
   
   
       4 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein in providing a shortcut, a configuration file is created for use in configuring executable code for a user interface application to correspond to the selected service.  
   
   
       5 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising a step of receiving an indication of a value of a parameter for the selected service, and creating an executable shortcut for enabling automatic access to the selected service with the indicated value for the parameter.  
   
   
       6 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the executable shortcut is transferred to the communication device.  
   
   
       7 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the executable shortcut is storable to an element of the communication network in a form downloadable to the communication device via the communication system.  
   
   
       8 . A computer program product comprising: a computer readable storage structure embodying computer program code thereon for execution by a processor, the computer program product including instructions for performing the steps of the method of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       9 . A server, for providing a shortcut access to services available via a communication network by a user using a communication device, the server comprising: 
 means for displaying a list of one or more selectable services offered by a content provider, wherein said services are accessible by a user of the communication network; and    means for creating an executable shortcut to a service selected by the user from the list of selectable services, for enabling the user to access the selected service through the network using the communication device.    
   
   
       10 . A server as in  claim 9 , wherein the shortcut creates a message requesting the selected service, and the message is formed according to a protocol used by a message center of the communication network.  
   
   
       11 . A server as in  claim 9 , wherein in providing a shortcut, executable code for a user interface application is created.  
   
   
       12 . A server as in  claim 9 , wherein in providing a shortcut, a configuration file is created for use in configuring executable code for a user interface application to correspond to the selected service.  
   
   
       13 . A server as in  claim 9 , further comprising a step of receiving an indication of a value of a parameter for the selected service, and creating an executable shortcut for enabling automatic access to the selected service with the indicated value for the parameter.  
   
   
       14 . A server as in  claim 9 , wherein the executable shortcut is transferred to the communication device.  
   
   
       15 . A server as in  claim 9 , wherein the executable shortcut is storable to an element of the communication network in a form downloadable to the communication device via the communication system.  
   
   
       16 . A method for accessing services available via a communication network by a user using the communication device, comprising: 
 displaying an executable shortcut to a service of a content provider via the communication network through the communication network; and    sending a request for the service via the message center to the content provider in response to a command by the user for executing the executable shortcut;    wherein the executable shortcut is created by a web server in response to user selection of the service, and downloaded to the communication device.    
   
   
       17 . A method as in  claim 16 , further comprising: a step of including a value for a parameter for the service in the request for the service.  
   
   
       18 . A method as in  claim 16 , further comprising: a step of enabling the user to input or otherwise indicate a value for a parameter for the service before sending the service request, and a step of including the value for the parameter in the service request.  
   
   
       19 . A computer program product providing a computer readable storage structure embodying computer program code thereon for execution by a processor, the computer program product including instructions for performing the steps of the method of  claim 16 .  
   
   
       20 . A communication device for accessing services available via a communication network by a user using the communication device, comprising: 
 means for displaying an executable shortcut to a service of a content provider via the communication network through the communication network; and    means for sending a request for the service to the content provider in response to a command by the user for executing the executable shortcut;    wherein the executable shortcut is created by a web server in response to user selection of the service, and downloaded to the communication device.    
   
   
       21 . A communication device as in  claim 20 , further comprising: means for including a value for a parameter for the service in the request for the service.  
   
   
       22 . A communication device as in  claim 20 , further comprising: means for enabling the user to input or otherwise indicate a value for a parameter for the service before sending the service request, and means for including the value for the parameter in the service request.